Most dogs don't like cats, and there are many different reasons for this. These pets often do not make friends due to differences in behavior, character and due to differences at the instinctive level. But it often happens that a kitten and a puppy have been in contact since childhood and behave like real friends. If the owners decide to have both animals in the house at the same time, then it is worth paying attention to some recommendations that will make the process of getting to know each other and establishing relationships easier and faster.
Genetics
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One explanation for the thousand-year enmity may be genetic predestination. Dogs belong to the canine family and are predators. Predators regard animals that are smaller than them as game. Representatives of fighting breeds are especially dangerous for cats; aggression in their behavior is fixed at the genetic level.
There is also a reverse version: when the Earth was inhabited by the prototypes of modern dogs and saber-toothed tigers, representatives of the cat family hunted canines. The latter developed a feeling of hostility, which could be fixed at the genetic level.
Different hunting habits
Both cats and dogs belong to the order of carnivores. They just hunt differently. Cats are convinced loners, they are patient and observant, they can track their prey for hours, and attack with one well-aimed throw. Dogs are pack creatures, and in addition, they mistake all small animals that do not belong to their family as potential game. They chase and drive the victim out of “sporting interest.” As a rule, a dog rushes to a cat not because it wants to kill it, but simply out of curiosity - to sniff it and get to know it. The cat does not understand her intentions and flees or uses its claws, trying to hit the sensitive nose. What kind of friendship is this!
What to do if your dog is chasing cats
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Hello, dear readers!
The dog is a rather affectionate and friendly animal that simply amazes with its devotion and dedication. It is impossible to understand just one thing: why does she hate cats so much? On the streets we often see dogs chasing cats, trying to harm the little fluffy ball. In this article we will look at the reasons for chasing and aggression , and we will talk about why pets fight among themselves.
Peace instead of war
You can put forward the argument of animal enmity, saying that they are not used to being together. Usually people can be divided into cat lovers and dog supporters, but those who have two different pets at once cannot understand why they are considered enemies? Animals get used to it and get along well with each other, but only those that are kept in the same territory. It seems simply idyll when two such different pets are friends, ride together and even sleep, but this friendship is not harmless, especially when the pets find themselves outside the home. In the city, owners do not lose sight of their pets, but in a country house it is difficult to keep track.
Such friendship can only benefit a dog; a dog, accustomed to the company of a cat, will not chase other furry animals, thereby protecting its owners and itself from the wrath of cat owners. But finding itself alone, alone in a foreign territory, a domestic cat, accustomed to completely trusting the dog, treating it as a friend, will not see danger in a strange dog. She will not feel instinctive fear, she will not run away and hide, and she will definitely end up a victim of someone else’s evil dog.
You need to think carefully before keeping both a cat and a dog in the same house, because neither the owners nor the dog’s friend can always be near the furry mischief maker to save her from trouble. You should not risk your pet for the feeling of tenderness that arises when you see your cute friends. The safety of the animals and the peace of mind of the owners is much more important than fun.
There are compromises: you can have a kitten in the house in winter, and a puppy in the yard when warm days come. In this case, they will not be able to become very attached to each other, and the murka will have a guarantee of safety.
Do you love animals and don’t know which one to choose? Then you should get a cat first, so that by the time she goes outside she can grow up a little and learn how to behave around dogs. Then you can buy a puppy, the baby will not yet experience hostile feelings towards the cat, and most likely they will be able to become friends.
What is the danger of the situation?
It is impossible for a pet to feel that such behavior is the norm.
When a dog attacks, the cat often runs away. Both animals in pursuit do not sense secondary dangers, so they often get hit by cars. It is important not to praise the dog for aggression towards the cat after the incident. Even slight approval and ignoring the situation instills in the animal the habit of attacking small animals. Uncontrolled aggression on the part of a dog is fraught with serious injuries and even death for a cat. On the other hand, if a puppy attacks, then he has every chance of receiving precise blows with his claws in the eyes and nose with the ensuing consequences.
How severe can the conflict develop?
For most, furry beauties are clearly faster than clumsy dogs. However, in reality the opposite is true: dogs are very resilient and are capable of developing considerable speed. Cats are more flexible and maneuverable, they can easily climb to the top of a tree or under a car. Therefore, in open areas, the purr cannot run far.
But even if the four-legged friend manages to overtake the mustachioed one, then the matter will not end with bloody victims. It's a game for them. Unfortunately, only aggressive dogs can seriously injure a “toy”, or even kill it. Not all cats are characterized by weakness and cowardice. Fighting individuals may well give a worthy rebuff.
Puppy chasing a cat
Hello again! Thanks to your advice, we solved the problem with socializing the puppy, but now we can’t figure out another one for about a month and a half.
Since the situation is usually exactly the opposite, I will try to describe ours in more detail.
As I already said, we have a Russian spaniel puppy, female, 4.5 months old. The problem is that the domestic cat is almost constantly chasing. We tried giving the dog a light slap on the butt - it didn’t help. Locking yourself in another room is the same. She doesn’t really care about street cats (she can be eager to chase them, but she reacts to “ugh” or “to me”), sometimes she can snort, but no more. At home, as soon as the pet is in her field of vision, she rushes like crazy. One day, when the dog was really annoyed with the cat, the second one began to hide from it on the windowsill, under a table, chair, etc., but in this case the dog itself began to look for it. Previously, the dog behaved more or less calmly when the cat came to my feet, in this case she simply sniffed it and continued to do her business, but if the cat suddenly “said her fi” (she is extremely untamed), the dog is there began to pursue her. Now, as soon as the cat comes to me, the whole apartment barks, and the dog does not calm down until the cat leaves me. Do I understand correctly that this is jealousy?
We also have a very difficult situation with the dog’s water bowl - sometimes he allows the cat to drink from it, sometimes not. No matter what the dog’s mood, we immediately sit the cat near its bowl, but in this case it refuses to drink. What is the cat trying to show with this behavior?
Along the roads of fairy tales
A meeting between purrs and dogs is rarely peaceful. Hissing and snarling, the cat rushes to the saving tree, and the poor owner can hardly restrain the dog, inspired by yet another hatred. Legends are used to explain the reason for dog behavior.
Legend one “King’s Decree”
A long time ago, in a kingdom there lived a dog. Seeing a child in trouble, the four-legged creature rushed to the rescue and, as it turned out later, saved the princess. The king was very grateful to the dog and issued a new decree in gratitude.
According to the new law, all dogs in the kingdom had to have a home and excellent food. When the decree was signed, a problem arose, because all the dogs in the kingdom had to be notified of the innovation. The king's advisor decided to tie the document to the hero dog's tail and let him go free to roam.
To celebrate, the dog went to his friends. Having learned the good news, the four-legged dogs threw a dog feast and celebrated until late. In order not to lose the treasured paper, the friends took it off the dog’s tail and gave it to the cat. Purr was entrusted with following the decree while the dogs were having fun.
Out of envy or by coincidence, the cat did not save the document. The next morning, when the hero dog decided to announce the news throughout the kingdom, the cat did not have any paper. The cat justified himself by saying that the decree was stolen by mice.
The dog's friends got so angry that they rushed at the poor cat and almost tore her to shreds. From that day on, dogs began to hate envious cats, and the purrs of thieves began to hate mice. Centuries passed, but the dogs never lost hope of finding the king's decree.
Legend two “Underwater world”
A long time ago, all dogs lived in the underwater kingdom, but they dreamed of seeing the sun every day, running on land and making friends with other animals. God heard the pleas of the four-legged animals and decided to help, provided that the dogs passed the test.
God appointed a trial period for a year, dogs who liked living on earth could stay, and those who were disappointed had to return home. Naturally, emigrants had to show exemplary behavior and listen to God.
On the cherished day, packs of dogs came out onto land. The leader had a pass that allowed those who wished to return home to the underwater kingdom after a year. In order not to be distracted by formalities, the dogs gave the document to the wise cat for safekeeping.
A year later it was discovered that there were no documents and all the dogs were forced to remain on land. The cat made the excuse that the papers were stolen by mice. Since then, dogs who wanted to return to the underwater world have been chasing cats in the hope of getting a pass home. Cats chase mice to return what they stole and stop the dogs from chasing them.
Legend three "Magic Ring"
In one kingdom there lived a poor man. As if by the dictates of evil fate, the poor man was unlucky in life. He sows wheat, but it doesn’t sprout, he goes fishing, but the fish swim around the nets, he gets chickens... so they run away.
One day, in order to get food, a poor man went into the forest to pick mushrooms and berries. While looking for fruits, the man saw something shiny in the bushes. Having pulled out the find, the poor man discovered that it was a ring, and not just a simple one, but a magical one that brought good luck.
Having put on the ring, the poor man continued to live as before, but everything began to work out for him. The wheat began to sprout, the fish went into the net on their own, and the laying hens returned home. A poor man had a cat and a dog.
The cat was a talkative braggart and gossip. One day, when she came to visit a rich merchant, the purr blurted out her owner’s secret. An envious rich man broke into the poor man's house at night and took the magic ring by force.
The cat was tormented by her conscience and she persuaded the dog to take a desperate step. The four-legged creatures snuck into the rich man's mansion at night and stole the ring. The poor old dog was so nervous that upon arriving home he immediately fell asleep, and the cunning cat woke up the owner. Having given the ring, the cat purred that it was the dog who told the rich man about the ring, and she, brave and courageous, risked her life to save the magical jewelry.
In the morning, the dog, who did not understand anything, found himself out of favor and on a chain. From that day on, the dog received only scraps and kicks from the poor man, he was very offended by the four-legged “traitor”. The cunning cat began to live in the house and receive all kinds of benefits; she never regretted her action and teased the dog.
One day the dog broke loose and decided to deal with the traitor. The dog chased the cat for so long that they disappeared from sight. The cat managed to escape the reprisal, but since then, all the dogs have harbored a grudge against the purr and drive them away as soon as they see them.
Legend four "Hat"
In the high mountains lived a brave and hardworking shepherd dog. On the snowy mountain ridges the weather was cold, but without a shepherd the sheep were lost and defenseless. The dog faithfully performed its service, and in order not to freeze, it wore a warm hat with earflaps. One day, during a strong storm, a gust of wind tore the shepherd’s hat off the head and carried it away in an unknown direction.
The upset and frozen dog took the excellent skin and went to the cat, who sewed things to order. Having given the skin, the dog asked to make a hat with ties so that the wind could not tear it off his head. The sly cat widened his eyes, said that this was a very difficult job, negotiated a higher payment and promised to complete the order in a week. Murlyka was so happy about the generous reward that he abandoned his work and went to have fun. Arriving at the cat's doorstep a week later, the dog discovered that his order was not ready, the cat had not even started work.
The dog got angry and started growling, and the frightened cat promised to give him the finished hat in 3 days. The dog had no choice, she agreed and left.
The seriously frightened cat cut and sewed all night; he finished the hat by morning and was just about to sleep when there was a knock on the door. A rich goat stood on the threshold; he needed a new hat. Seeing the dog's order, the goat offered three times as much money and the cat agreed. The goat left wearing a new hat, and the cat went to bed.
When the cold and cold dog came to pick up his order, the cat widened his eyes and said that they had not received any order. The shepherd became furious and rushed at the cat. The cat managed to escape, but since then the dogs have harbored a grudge against the cunning cats, and the four-legged shepherds do not wear hats.
It's about enzymes
The fourth version is associated with the different structure of organisms. There is a theory that representatives of the cat family produce a certain special enzyme that negatively affects the subconscious of dogs, making them aggressive and agitated. This theory could explain everything, but it falls apart due to the fact that many cats and dogs are friends and even spend most of their time together without experiencing discomfort.
Misunderstanding
Dogs and cats express emotions and react to the emotions of other creatures differently. Discord between animals can occur if there is a misunderstanding between them on an emotional level. For a dog, for example, a wagging tail means friendliness and good mood, but for a cat this sign characterizes irritation.
The dog, in turn, can also misinterpret the cat’s behavior, which becomes the reason for hunting or chasing one pet after another.
Mr. Cat recommends: how to make friends with pets?
Golden retrievers, pugs, and Maltese are peaceful with cats, and making friends with them is quite easy. Things are more complicated when a puppy or kitten is brought into the house, and the older pet does not make contact for a number of reasons (a dog of a fighting or hunting breed, the pet has been the only animal in the house all its life, etc.).
In order not to worsen the situation and allow the animals to get used to it, you should:
- Do not put pressure on the cat or dog. If you start beating or scolding your pet, this will not speed up the dating process. In this case, you need to be patient and give him time.
- Keep in different rooms. A new inhabitant causes stress; in order for an older pet to get used to it, it must have its own safe place. Over time, having gotten used to the new smell, he will show interest and try to get acquainted.
- Feed separately. Animal psychologists recommend giving food to the older animal first, and then to the new one. Thus, the pet will not feel deprived.
- Show more attention and praise. A new family member is always exciting, but don’t forget about your older pet; he shouldn’t feel abandoned. He must remain loved.
The main reasons for hostility between cats and dogs
Animal psychologists have identified 5 main reasons explaining the dislike between a dog and a cat:
- The cat avoids communication. This leads to the dog actively trying to make friends and causing even more irritation. Sometimes the dog gets so playful and starts chasing the cat that it looks more like aggression than a desire to communicate.
- Dogs with developed hostility and bitter experience (pit bull, bull terrier). This case is more often typical for fighting breeds, which have a subconscious level of suspicion towards any other species. Enmity also arises after an unsuccessful meeting, for example, a cat severely scratched a dog or scared it.
- Hunting breeds (beagles, dachshunds). These dogs at the genetic level equate the cat to prey status. For them there is no difference between a raccoon, a fox or a cat.
- Incorrect socialization. This mistake is made by the owners when a new family member appears. Therefore, when a puppy or kitten is brought into the home, it takes patience and skill to ensure that the animals become friends with older members of the pack. Often 1 week is enough for the dog and cat to find a common language.
- A special enzyme. British scientists have discovered that cats secrete a substance that can cause aggression and agitation in dogs. However, this reason does not appear in all representatives.
Lonely fighter
Any incompetent person, asking him what is the reason for the enmity between animals, will answer without hesitation, cats are afraid of dogs. They are big, strong, with sharp fangs, and the cats are so cute, fluffy, of course they are scared.
Having observed the habits of an ordinary yard cat during a chance meeting with a strange dog, it becomes clear that this is far from the case. Murka is not at all afraid of the dog, he just looks attentively at the stranger, bends over and waits for his reaction. She has enough time to run away, but she has no fear; instead, Murka assesses the situation. This is another reason why there is eternal enmity between dogs and cats. The cat does not feel fear, and if necessary, it will prove the proverb: “there is no beast worse than a cat.”
Some cats neglect dogs so much, strolling serenely in front of them, wagging their tail, as if they were deliberately teasing them. This picture makes it clear why dogs chase cats. The cunning animal deliberately provokes the dog, and at the first danger it climbs a tree. The dog jumps furiously in front of the tree, and the fearless cat sits and carefully watches him, while she doesn’t look scared at all. As soon as the dog gets tired of the useless activity and begins to move away, the cat goes downstairs, the scene is repeated again and again. By deliberately egging on the dog, the cat forces him to chase the robber to no avail.
Scientists from England conducted a series of studies and came to the conclusion that cats have a special enzyme that is unacceptable for dogs. This enzyme causes excitement and aggression, but there are many examples of true friendship between cats and dogs, which means that dogs have the ability to calmly perceive a negative enzyme.
